Forbidden Love
by Inksy
Summary: She is a religous figure known throughout the land as the Voice of Naga, but to him, she's more than that. Follow Robin as he begins falling for someone that he shouldn't have. Prequel to my other story, Cursed Blood. (Title may change)
1. Climb

Two people stood in a field. The tall grass and flowers rustled as a light breeze passed by. The shorter figure held a sword up to other's chest, "Don't struggle and your death will be swift and painless. I know this is murder... I-I know that, but I cannot allow Grima to take over, the future _must_ be averted."

The taller person remained still, he did not even raising his arms for protection. "You don't have to do this."

"Don't you see? You are the one who kills my father, Robin. It's you who causes my future to happen in the first place!"

Robin flinched. They had just barely escaped a trap set up by Validar, the leader of the Grimleal, a cult dedicated to resurrecting the Fell Dragon in order to bring an end to the world. And it would seem that they would get their wish, since Validar had now taken possession of the Fire Emblem, and was currently on his way to the Dragon's Table. "...Maybe it is for the best for me to die here."

"I promise it will be quick."

He looked away in defeat. "Can I get a last wish, Lucina?"

"...What will it be?"

"I want you to tell Morgan that I'm sorry I won't be there to enjoy the future we will create here." Robin sighed, "I know that she'll resent you for this, but I hope that one day, Morgan can see what was done here. How the future was saved."

Lucina remained silent. Morgan was a close friend to her, but she had traveled back in time for one reason and one reason only: Stop Grima from destroying everything. If that meant that bonds had to be severed, so be it. She shook her head, her mind was already made up. _I_ _will not let millions suffer and perish for just one man_. "Very well."

"Thank you." He sighed, _Might as well get this off my chest..._ "And can you also tell—no. Nevermind." _It's not like she'll ever love me. Not after today._ Robin wanted to add, he took a deep breath in order to steel himself, "I'm ready."

"Godspeed, Robin."

His mind turned to the Shepherds—his friends. The moments they shared, of how they had singlehandedly brought down not one, but _two_ warmongering tyrants. Of how they had slowly encountered their descendants from a ruined future.

Through the memories, one of those surfaced that stung more than the others. When he had fallen in love with someone that he could never be with.

* * *

"How big is this tree anyway? I'm getting tired of climbing up all these steps!" Lissa whined, "Frederick, carry me!

"We should be there soon, milady" the knight replied, "Besides, as I always say: a little—"

"—Hardship builds character" she groaned, finishing his sentence. "Listen, I'm tired from healing all of you down there I just want a break!"

"Gods... Naga's Voice truly lives all the way up here?" Robin panted. "If she's so important then why make your holy ground so hard to get to?"

"Fie, it is to keep the weak willed from ever entering in the first place." Say'ri answered, "Worry not, we are not far from the Mila Tree's crown."

The Shepherds reached an archway that led to a clearing. Within, a shrine rested in the middle, a small pool of clear water reflected the sun's rays into the moss that grew from the monument's stone. "Lady Tiki! are you here? Prithee answer!" Say'ri called from the entrance.

A woman slowly sat up and yawned. Her green hair is tied back by a red ribbon, matching the boots, gloves and short red dress she wore. A pink bow was tied around her waist, a cape of the same color was hanging behind her. Rubbing her eyes, Tiki suddenly went over to Lucina "Marth? Is that really you!?"

"...I'm sorry, you must be confusing me for someone else," the princess looked around nervously, "my name is Lucina, though I did go by the name 'Marth' for awhile. Might have we met?"

The Voice blinked a few times, realization dawning on her face. "No, I'm sorry. You just reminded me of someone who was... very close to me. Alas, he is gone, lost long before this time."

Lucina grew silent, as did the rest of the Shepherds.

"You are from the Exalted family from Akaneia are you not?" Tiki pointed to both Chrom and his daughter. "You must still have possession of the Fire Emblem correct? It should've been passed down through your family."

"I have it right here, but I'm afraid Ylisse hasn't gone by that name for quite some time, milady." The prince displayed the shield from arm.

"Forgive me, it has been some time since I last traveled." The Voice inspected the Fire Emblem, quickly noticing the missing objects along the shield. "What happened to the other gemstones? I only see Argent."

"Gemstones?"

"Uh, Chrom? What do you think the other holes were for?" Robin rolled his eyes, "Sorry, my friend here can be a bit dense sometimes."

"Right..." Tiki gave a slight shiver when she felt an unnatural presence near her, it carried enormous power, similar to that of her own. Shaking it off, she continued "There are five of them: Argent, Azure, Gules, Sable, and Vert. Each contains a fragment of Naga's power, uniting all gemstones and the Fire Emblem will allow someone of the Exalted bloodline to perform the Awakening."

"The rite by which the First Exalt attained the Divine Dragon's power to seal Grima away..." Lucina said, "Do you know where the rest are?"

The disturbance had softened, causing her to worry, _What happened? Such power can't just melt away like that..._ Despite this, she forced herself to keep talking to her guests, "I have Azure here, but I do not know where the last two remain." Her mind tuned out what the others were saying, instead she closed her eyes trying to locate the problem.

"...Lady Tiki?" Lucina leaned in close.

Opening her eyes, the Voice took a step back, "Ah! Forgive me, I am still drowsy from my sleep. Was there anything else you wanted to know?"

"No, in fact we were just about to leave, thank you for all your help."

"Before you go take Azure, please keep it safe so as to ensure that it doesn't fall into the wrong hands. Grima must not rise again, I know this is a heavy burden, but as members of the Exalted family, it is a task that must fall on to you."

The disturbance grew more intense, "Don't worry, milady. I'm sure we can prevent the Fell Dragon's resurrection," Robin stepped forward "but first we have to get Vert back from Walhart. Consider us in your debt, Lady Tiki."

Tiki's eyes widened, _it was him_. "Y-you have it..."

"Huh? Have what?" He had a puzzled look on his face, the Shepherds cast wary glances at the tactician.

"Power... like mine..." _He's a vessel for something powerful, just like Naga. How did a simple human manage to get this strong?_

"Um... I'm not a manakete."

 _Ah! I must be sounding like a madwoman_ , "...Forgive me, my words outpace my thoughts. I am just... very tired, I cannot join you. Not yet, please give me—"

"It's okay, you don't have to fight with us, I'm sure you've already done enough of that." Robin spoke as if nothing had happened, "I won't put you through another war."

"That is very nice of you, Sir..."

"Robin."

"...Robin, but I would like for this conflict to end as quickly as possible."

"Well if you want to join the Shepherds, then I guess it's up to you."

"Just give me a week to gather my strength at the Divine Dragon Grounds."

"Fine by me, another flyer would come in handy." Robin signaled to the rest of the Shepherds, waving and turning his back he began to start the journey back down. "We'll be going now, thank you for all the help!"

"Actually, why don't you spend the night here? I'm sure you are all exhausted from the battle earlier. Besides, it is the least I could do since you freed the Mila Tree from the Conqueror's grasp."

"I'll consult the missus." Robin gave a small bow and a smug smile, "Hey Chrom, can we stay?"

Snickers erupted from the militia, the Lord just scoffed, "Of course, gods know you can use the beauty sleep, Robin."

The tactician's sneer was gone, "Ah, it's no fun when _you_ have a comeback."

* * *

Tiki walked along the creek, she had taken off her boots, letting her feet get soaked in the cool water. The Shepherds were all at the mess tent, having supper, the Voice excused herself, she wanted to be alone, Tiki knew the price of forming friendships with humans. One day, they would all eventually die, and she would be alone once more. Her mind wandered in this thought, on how the lifetime of a manakete was both a blessing and curse. Another chill travelled down her spine, the same unnatural presence from earlier had grown stronger. Turning her head, she saw the source: the Shepherds' tactician, Robin stood in the shore.

"I was wondering where you were, Lady Tiki" he had a warm smile, "I've been meaning to ask you, back there you said I had power like yours... what did you mean by that?"

Turning around fully, she made her way back to the pond's bank. "I already said that I was groggy, it was most likely my mind playing tricks on me."

"Now, I could see that working with somebody else, but not me." His smile remained, but it soon faded, "Please don't lie to me, I think that the power you mentioned... is probably related to this." Robin took off the glove on his right hand, displaying an ominous purple marking on the back of his palm.

 _That pattern... I've seen it before_ , "You... are part of the grimleal?" Tiki narrowed her eyes as she reached for her dragonstone.

"What? No! Of course not!" Robin sounded indignant, "I've more than proven my loyalty to the Shepherds! I—Listen, just tell me the truth, am I a monster?"

"...Why would you ask that question?"

"Because I somehow have this... this... _thing_ inside me that I can't even explain—let alone control."

"I see..." She curiously looked at his hand, _This explains why he feels strange_ , "I'm afraid that I do not have the answers you seek."

"Huh?"

"Sir Robin, you are your own person, a simple Brand does not determine who you are."

He grew quiet, but later gave a defeated sigh, "You're right. I can't let this marking worry me, I have a war to win."

Robin shuffled around, "So... why don't you join the rest of the Shepherds to grab something to eat?"

"I am not hungry."

"Are you sure? I mean, the first thing I'd do after sleeping for so long is grab something to eat."

"You do not have to worry about me, I can take care of myself." Tiki sighed.

"Okay, okay," Robin held his hands up in defeat, "Suit yourself." With that, the tactician started making his way back to the Shepherds' camp.

 _What a strange man_ , Tiki thought, _despite that power inside him, he doesn't seem aware of it's true potential. I need to keep a close eye on him, if he_ is _Grima's own vessel, then he could present a very clear danger to the world._ "Wait!"

Robin abruptly stopped in his tracks and turned around, "Hm?"

"I've changed my mind, perhaps I should take some time to get to know the Shepherds." She waded her way to him, "Could you introduce me to them?"

"Sure thi—YAH!" As Robin took a step forward he slipped on a moss covered rock, landing face first into the cold water. "GAH! I can't swim! Help!" the tactician flailed his arms and legs about the water, splashing some on the Voice.

Tiki stood with an eyebrow raised, "Er... Sir Robin?" she waded in closer took a hold of his coat and pulled him up. When he stopped thrashing, the tactician realized that the water only reached up to their knees.

Robin's face immediately went red, something Tiki found to be incredibly funny. She could not contain her laughter, further worsening his embarrassment. Without thinking, he extended his arm into the water and thrusted forward, drenching the Voice with water. Realizing what he had just done, Robin immediately opened his mouth in order to apologize... only for it to be filled with water. Tiki retaliated with her own splashes at the tactician, giggling with glee.

The two kept splattering each other until Chrom approached from the Shepherds camp. "Robin? You alright? I heard you crying out for he—What are you two doing?"

They froze in their spots. Robin was the first to stammer out an excuse, before Tiki cut him off entirely, "Robin and I were on our way to the mess tent, but these rocks can be very slippery... so we fell."

"...Right." Chrom muttered, "I'm sure we have dry clothes for you back at the main camp, Lady Tiki."

"Yes, that would be greatly appreciated." she tried to stifle a chuckle, "Robin was going to show me around your main camp anyway."

"Very well." With that, the Prince headed back once more to the Shepherds.

Robin and Tiki started their way out of the pond, the former had raised an eyebrow at the sudden change in the latter's character. "So... not that I didn't enjoy our little splashfest, but why'd you lie to him?"

Her expression dropped, "...I have a reputation to maintain. Forgive me, Sir Robin, I promise it will not happen again."

Robin knew not to press for any details, _Might as well let this Freudian slip be just that_. "Sure." _That doesn't mean I can't be her friend_ , "But you also have to promise _me_ something."

Tiki raised her eyebrow, "...What would that be?"

"Drop the 'Sir' from my name, I'm not royalty, Lady Tiki."

"...Very well, but you can also do the same with me. I've never been one for titles either."

They both made their way back to the Shepherds' camp.

* * *

 **A/N**

 **You know, I do realize that I really glazed over the secretive nature of Robin and Tiki's relationship. It started off as** **a lazy excuse to introduce a mother after going back on my word when I stated that Morgan's mother was deliberately left up to the reader** **an interesting other new idea to explore, right alongside the implications of Morgan to be from Grima's and Naga's lineage, turned into my pride and joy.**

 **That and the other major reason that I chose Tiki was because ̶I̶'̶m̶ ̶a̶ ̶s̶h̶a̶m̶e̶l̶e̶s̶s̶ ̶h̶i̶p̶s̶t̶e̶r̶ ̶w̶h̶o̶ ̶w̶a̶n̶t̶e̶d̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶s̶t̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶o̶u̶t̶ ̶i̶n̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶f̶i̶r̶s̶t̶ ̶p̶l̶a̶c̶e̶. there are not that many fics for RobinxTiki.**

 **I'm planning for this story to be a bit shorter chapter wise, and I'll probably skip a few major in-game events. Cause I really only want to focus on the titular two (alliteration FTW!).**

 **Disclaimer or something idk anymore.**

 **P.S.**

 **No, I haven't forgotten about the epilogue for** _ **Cursed Blood**_ **, in fact, this** _ **was**_ **the epilogue, or at least 3/4 of it. I just had to get this out of my chest really.**


	2. Friendship

"Tell me!" Say'ri looked with teary eyes at her brother, "Why did you side with Walhart!?"

"It matters not, you have strayed from the path, sister." Yen'fay said without any emotion.

"Strayed from the path? _Me_!?" Her sadness was overcome by anger, "Look at yourself! You forsake our kingdom to an outsider without even putting up a fight! I at least try to reunite the different dynasts in order to—"

"And look what they have done! They have all betrayed you, they'd rather stand behind the unstoppable force that is Walhart than rally behind a delusional fool who thinks she can stop the Valmese Empire from expanding!"

Say'ri grunted, she had no response to that. Deep down, she knew he was right. "You... you betrayed not only your kingdom, but also your family! Draw your blade!"

* * *

 _For it to be all a lie... Damn him..._ Say'ri shook her head in an effort to dispel the memory. It had been a few days after the Shepherd's fateful encounter with her brother _and it was all for nothing!_ ... _I will not weep,_ Say'ri told herself, _I will not show weakness... He wanted me to live my life to the fullest and I will honor his sacrifice._

The Valmese capital was not too far from their current location, but due to the unexpected resistance from the opposing army, Robin and Chrom thought it best to rest and resupply at the nearest available location. Taking a detour east—away from the Demon's Ingle and the Valmese capital. The Shepherds followed their leaders through a forest, later opening up into a peninsula, where the ruins of a large temple were located to the north.

They had chosen the Divine Dragon grounds for two reasons: The natural air and sanctity of the site would be a welcome change from the battlefield; the second Robin wanted to recruit Tiki, in hopes that a religious figure could finally rally the people for the end of the Conqueror's War.

"Gods... the air is so sweet here." Chrom said as they came upon the ruins.

"It's so calm... makes you wanna flop down and take a nap, doesn't it?" Lissa yawned.

"Tempting..." Lucina chimed in, trying to cover her own yawn.

Robin, however, muttered something under his breath. He quickly looked around to check if anyone had heard him, later returning to his normal state. The tactician sat down on the grass, idly looking at the sea in front of him.

"Aye, it is said that the Divine Dragons once called this place home." Say'ri sighed with relief, "Lady Tiki said that she would gather her strength here, correct?"

"Yeah, she said she'd be here." Robin called out from his spot, "Any idea where she would be?"

"Perhaps over there," Say'ri walked forwards to a circle of trees. "You can all rest here, I can retrieve her on my own."

"Just shout if you need anything." The tactician laid on his back, most of the Shepherds had also done the same.

She headed off to the small area, her mind drifting away in memories. No matter how much Say'ri tried, she couldn't get her brother out of her head. _He did it... to protect you._ Excellus' screechy voice spoke in her head, _Did you really believe you were so elusive? I could've killed you whenever I wanted! Alas, Yen'fay begged me not to, so we made a deal. He fights for us, and you would live. In fact... I'd say he kept his end of the deal TO his end!_ His laughter still echoed inside her head.

Say'ri stopped, her fists were clenched. _That snake. I will bring an to end and that damn empire!_ Taking a few breaths to calm herself, she continued forward, the princess had a mission for now. It wasn't hard spotting the Voice, she was in the middle of a clearing inside the small forest. Her eyes were closed, and her hands were raised to her chest, tightly clutching a small stone. "Lady Tiki? Are you alright?"

No response.

 _She must be doing the ritual..._ Say'ri stood guard, wanting to be sure that no harm would come to the Voice. She sat near her, the sacred and calming air enveloping the empress.

A nearby growl snapped her out of her trance. Quickly standing up, Say'ri unsheathed Amatsu, the blade she had inherited from Yen'fay. A Risen barbarian appeared from the trees, it loosely gripped an axe. Readying herself, she waited for it to make a move, and sure enough the creature rushed towards her. Sidestepping, Say'ri extended Amatsu, the Risen running right into the blade, immediately evaporating into mist.

 _Fie... it surely cannot be alone. I must warn the Shepherds._ She looked back at Tiki, _But I simply cannot leave her here..._ Say'ri cursed herself, _Forgive me, Lady Tiki, but I must leave you behind. I have to get help._ She sprinted towards the way she came.

* * *

"Hey... relax, Robin." Chrom yawned, "I'm sure that everything's fine. Besides, what could possibly go wrong here?"

"I'll relax when this war is over, Chrom." Robin sighed, "By the way, shouldn't Say'ri be back already?"

"What does it matter?" Chrom already closed his eyes, "Everything's... fine."

Robin groaned, he didn't know why everyone but himself seemed so content with the Divine Dragon grounds. _They're all acting like a cat that just found out about catnip! Gods, can they be any more vulnerable?_ Irritated, the tactician headed off towards the woods, _I don't get it... Why me? Even the other Plegians feel a_ little _sleepy, but me? Nothing. Is it because of this?_ Robin took off the glove covering his right hand, giving it a hard stare. Not realizing where he was going, he bumped into something, or rather, some _one_.

Say'ri was panting, her eyes relieved when she saw the tactician. "Sir Robin! There are Risen in the area! They must be here for—"

Robin helped the princess to her feet, "Go get the Shepherds, but first, tell me where I can find Tiki."

She pointed to the woods, "Keep going in a straight line, she will be in the middle of a clearing. Make haste! She is defenseless in her current state!"

Nodding, he took off in the appropriate direction. It didn't take Robin too long to find her; however, unfortunately, it wasn't difficult for the Risen either. Unsheathing his sword, the tactician slashed at the closest one to him, before swapping out to an Elwind tome to push the undead away from Tiki.

"You surely can't be the only ones here." Almost as if reacting to his words, more Risen appeared from the woods. _Alright, that makes... three, four, five... six wyvern riders, two pegasus knights and one barbarian. Yup. I got this._ "C'mon then! If you want Tiki, then you'll have to go through me first!"

Robin waited for them to approach him first, as he prepared his Elwind spell, an arrow shot through the air, hitting the beast square in the chest. Looking for the source, Robin saw Virion staring smugly at him. "My friend, you cannot have _all_ the glory. The archest of archers shall be here to—"

" _Please_ don't be the only one Say'ri managed to snap out of that stupid trance everyone's in."

"You know, just because this place makes me feel at ease doesn't mean I can't fight." Chrom appeared from the woods, "Gods, but that nap was _so_ good. Can't wait to camp out here."

 _Rub it in, why don't you?_ Robin grunted, "Keep Lady Tiki safe, then we can talk about sleeping here."

"Oh man... sleeping here would be better than eating one of Sumia's pies." Chrom nervously looked around, "Don't tell her I said that."

The tactician rolled his eyes, "Whatever. Shepherds! Make a 'V' formation around Tiki! Healers stay within that arch, everyone else: don't let anything through! Let's do this!"

* * *

The Risen seemed to be endless, all of the Shepherds kept hacking and slashing in order to keep Naga's Voice safe. Robin blasted another wyvern rider of it's mount, drawing his sword he quickly put an end to the undead's life. _Dammit! Do they not get tired of this!?_

"I'll look for their commander! You guys stay here!" Robin announced, _taking out the head will surely kill their coordination._ It didn't take him too long to find a Risen different from the others.

"Kill... Naga's wench... kill... Master's burden..." it growled.

 _Is that their chief? At least there's an end to—_ "Woah!" Robin quickly dodged a swing from the Risen's axe. _Okay... he seems to handle himself in a fight._ Doing his standard push and swipe maneuver with his sword and tome, Robin tried to learn the pattern the beast would attack him in. To his dismay, there seemed to be none, the Risen Chief attacked with such irregular swipes at a fast pace that the tactician could not keep up.

Eventually, it succeeded in hitting the tactician. As he lay there in the ground, cursing himself for overextending his position. Robin closed his eyes as he awaited his grim fate.

 _To be taken by an undead servant. How disgusting._

He bolted awake. The pain that numbed his torso had somehow disappeared; instead, he felt a warm sensation. A familiar one. Waiting for the Chief to get closer, Robin charged a spell with his right hand. The beast hesitated, as if it knew Robin was up to something. _Enough patience, strike now!_

Standing up, Robin smiled as the Risen Chief came to a full stop. He dashed straight towards it, the spell on his right hand shifted itself into a blade. Before it could react, the tactician already sank the magical blade into it's stomach. His grin grew wider, _That felt... good._ Taking some time to marvel at the flames surrounding his body, a dark thought crossed his mind. _If killing a Risen felt like that then... killing humans will be—_

 _No. This isn't right. Stop._

He started to move back towards the rest of the Shepherds. _Wait, take some time to—_

"Robin?" he heard a voice searching for him.

 _Nngh! Stop! They can't see me like this!_

The tactician's breathing became more haggard, "I'm... here." He strained himself to talk. "Stay... away." _The Shepherds are your friends. They'll always be there for you, but not if you kill one of them._

"Robin, are you here?" The words were accompanied by rustling bushes, Chrom stepped out. "I was told by the other Shepherds you were—Uh-oh"

"Go away!" The tactician screamed, his tone getting darker.

Chrom raised one hand, the other he kept at Falchion's hilt. "Listen to me, the Risen are gone, we're safe. You don't need to do this."

"Trying... not to."

The Prince tried to place a hand on his friend's shoulder. Robin retreated from his touch, the purple flames around started to die down.

After some time, the tactician began to speak again, "...Thanks" he huffed with exhaustion.

"At least Frederick wasn't here, you'd be out cold on the floor by now." Chrom chuckled.

"Yeah..."

"You okay there?"

"I'll be fine... at least I got back to normal by myself."

"See? You're improving, maybe we can even—"

Robin put his foot down, "No. We talked about this Chrom, I don't like being... _that_. Whatever the hell it is, I can't trust it."

"Okay, okay."

The tactician sighed, "Is Tiki safe?"

"She's safe, and has requested to join the Shepherds."

"Alright then, let's see if the supply convoy can accommodate her with a tent."

* * *

They both made it back to camp, Chrom headed straight towards his tent, mentioning something about the 'restorative powers' of the area and wanted to sleep through the night. Robin headed for the mess tent, feeling a bit peckish. Grabbing a tray, he saw Sumia clumsily drop a few pans to the ground. It seemed that most of the other Shepherds had already finished eating, and had most likely gone to sleep.

Helping her to her feet for the nth time, Robin smiled, "Hello there."

"Hi Robin, thanks for the help."

He shrugged, "No problem."

"Have you seen Chrom anywhere?" Sumia muttered something else at the end, but the tactician was unable to tell what it was.

"Yeah, he's back at your tent. Said something about being exhausted." Robin grinned, a malicious thought crossing his head, "He also mentioned that sleeping here would be better than eating one of your pies."

An annoyed look crossed her face, she muttered again, this time before her sentence was clearly understandable, "I'll see to that then."

"Okay, see you around."

"Bye." Sumia quickly left the mess tent, nearly stumbling to the ground on the way out.

Robin continued his quest for food, putting what leftovers the Shepherds had from the pantry into his plate. Eating his meal, he blankly stared off into space, his thoughts coming back to the Brand on his arm. _It_ has _to be linked_ , he thought, _there's no way Ignis and that mark_ aren't _related._ Trying to dispel the memory of Gangrel's death at his hands, Robin heard a nearby rustling that alerted him to another presence. "If you're trying to be sneaky, consider taking some lessons from Gaius, he may have been a thief, but he is a good man. Come on out already, whoever you are."

"Forgive me," Tiki walked through the flaps, a shiver traveled through her spine. The same one when they had first met at the Mila Tree. "I did not expect anybody to be here."

"What, you wanted to start a food fight after our splashfest?" Robin said teasingly, a smirk ever present on his face.

The Voice winced, "I had hoped that you had forgotten about that..."

"Kind of a rude thing to say to an amnesiac, don't you think?"

"Ah! I-I'm sorry I never intended to—"

The tactician waved his hand disparagingly, "No, no, it's alright, you couldn't have known." He extended his hand to the chair opposite him, "Why don't you have a seat?"

As she sat down, Robin broke a piece of bread and offered it to Tiki. "Thank you." The Voice replied, "I'm sorry for my earlier remark. It must be unnerving to look back into one's past and find nothing there."

"...I try not to dwell on it too much." Robin shook his head, "Besides, I have the Shepherds now, and I keep making new memories with them." _Even some that I want to forget._ "What about you? I admit I don't have any memories, but I'm sure that you must have a few that stand out."

"Yes, I had many friends back in ages past." Tiki sighed with melancholy, "Alas, they are long gone now."

Robin remained silent for awhile, "Yeah, but at least you got to know them. Better to make friends and to lose them, then not having them at all. I know that you'll outlive... give or take ninety-five percent of the entire camp, but I do hope that us Shepherds can stand out just as much your friends from the past."

"You're right. I've been distant long enough, I shall make new friends with as many people as possible. I promise to cherish the new memories I will create. Starting with you, Robin."

"I'd say we already made a memory. Unless you want to take me up on the offer of a food fight." _I'd like to the excuse you'll try to pull off._

Tiki groaned, "You're somewhat... _mean_ for a tactician."

"I get that a lot." Robin chuckled.

The familiar chill traveled through her spine once again. _Has he truly forgotten what he was? Maybe it's for the better. I would rather know this person rather than whoever he was in the past..._

* * *

Tiki sat in near the Shepherd's main campfire, watching idly as the flames crackled away, providing all around it with some much needed warmth from the chilly night air. She had said her goodbyes from Robin, wishing him a good night's sleep. Someone tapped her shoulder, turning around in response, she found Say'ri there, a packed bundle in her arms. "Pardon me, milady, but I have your tent."

"Ah, many thanks... er... I do not believe I know—"

"My name is Say'ri of Chon'sin my lady." She reverently bowed her head to the Voice, much to her discomfort.

"Please, I am no royalty. Call me Tiki."

"...Very well." Say'ri sighed, she didn't want to protest, "Where should I assemble your tent?

"I can do it myself, just leave it over there." The Voice pointed to a nearby tree.

The empress sat adjacent to Tiki, intensely staring at the fire. "The day draws ever nearer my lady."

Confused, Tiki raised her eyebrow, "What day?"

"The day that this war will end."

"Yes, that day draws ever closer. With your power combined with the rest of the Shepherds, Walhart will rue the day he ever took the title of conqueror."

"True, but I fear the path that we're walking will lead to ruin. Many people have died in this pointless war."

"Aye, it is imperative that Valm be stopped, if not for my homeland, then at least for my brother." Say'ri trailed off, a look of fierce determination on her face.

"...I am sorry for your loss."

"What's done is done. I cannot change the past, I have to look into my future."

"Drop the stoic act, Say'ri. I know you still grieve for him, was your bond with Yen'fay so frail that a few day's march would erase his presence on your heart?"

Anger and disbelief surged within the empress, "How would you know? Yen'fay was my brother! My last family member! For so long I believed that he betrayed his kingdom, betrayed _me_." Her voice started to crack, tears beginning to sting her eyes, "Yet it was only a few days ago when the truth was revealed: I was nothing more than a hostage, Yen'fay did everything he did because he could not bear the thought of me getting hurt. Because I was too... _weak_!"

Tiki had flinched during the empress' outburst, "Say'ri... it was never my intention to reopen the wounds. In fact... my mother used to say that when people would shut themselves from others due to grief, it will only make the pain worse."

She remained silent.

"I know I must seem like a heartless monster to you, and if I had the ability to, I would take back what I said. In truth, I wanted to get to know you better, maybe even become... friends."

Say'ri sighed, "My lady, I'm afraid that it would be impossible for you and I to become friends, compared to the ocean that is your life, I am but a drop of water."

The Voice remembered her talk with Robin earlier, "Maybe... maybe having something and then losing is better than not having it at all."

* * *

 **A/N**

 **You'd think that with summer break being in full effect, I'd be able to upload faster. Sorry, it's just that life gets in the way, and my main way of writing is currently dying.**

 **So... instead of an explanation of what I'm doing with my life, I'll leave this greentext (minus the signature arrow thing) on the decision process that led me to choose Tiki for Robin's... wife? Lover? Girlfriend? Listen, I don't get into titles I just write the story based on a half-assed idea in my previous story. Hey, speaking of titles... Please help. I can't think up of another title, the cliche is killing me.**

 **Finish chapter 7 of** _ **Cursed Blood**_

 **Realize that I'll make it harder on myself if I don't include Morgan's mother.**

 **Comments also want to know who her mother is, despite my reluctance to reveal anything/explaining that there is none.**

 **Go with Lissa**

 **Realize that Owain would revel in actually having an uncontrollable dark side**

 **Go with default pairing. RobinxLucina**

 **Realize that I already wrote Morgan and Lucina in the doomed future.**

 **Too lazy to explain plothole**

 **Go through my gen 1 options:**

 **Say'ri (too dry)**

 **Flavia (really?)**

 **Aversa (who ships this pairing?)**

 **Anna (doesn't seem mother-y)**

 **Tiki (Mar-Mar is disappoint)**

 **This is fanfiction, I can and will alter a few things to fit the needs of my story**

 **Tiki wins waifu wars eventually**

 **How do I suddenly introduce Tiki as a mother to Morgan and a wife/lover to Robin?**

 **Tiki is Naga's daughter. Robin is Grima's avatar.**

 **Tiki is NAGA'S DAUGHTER. Robin is GRIMA'S AVATAR.**

 **It's writing itself**

 **Use this as a semi-believable excuse**

 **Release chapter 8 to public**

 **Pairing is well received**

 **Idea is apparently something that hasn't been done before**

 **Prequel is made in order to cover fluff between the two**

 **mfw prequel gets half the amount of followers in one chapter, than the original story does in ten**

 **[Should I even bother with a disclaimer anymore?]**


	3. Confession

She saw it again: Robin was talking to another person that wasn't _her_. A strange anger welled inside Tiki, it told her to transform into a dragon and scare Cordelia away, in order to keep the tactician for herself. Instead, she quickly turned in the opposite direction and walked away before doing something brash. _Why? Why do I feel like this? Strange... I even get this way whenever he talks to men too._

Once she was far away enough, the Voice sat down trying to name this new emotion she had. She felt angry not only at Cordelia had stolen his attention away from Tiki, but also at Robin as well, for actually... actually, doing what? Ignoring her? _How could he do that to me!? Wait... why do I care?_ She couldn't explain it, the confusion alone drove her mad. _Robin, damn you! Why do you make me feel like this?_ Tiki widened her eyes, she already knew this emotion: Jealousy. In fact, it was nothing new to her. The last time she felt this way was when Marth began to cast her aside, in favor of... _Caeda. I could never get Mar-Mar to even_ look _at me after they got engaged..._ Tiki sighed, _Oh, what am I thinking? It was not as if I ever had a chance with him anyway. I was a child._ _A foolish little girl who would outlive all her friends. Is it even worth it? Robin... He may be Grima's vessel, but he is human after all._

She didn't want to get any closer to him, she would only end up losing him in the long run. And yet... Tiki couldn't deny the anger that welled up inside her. There was no doubt that Robin was a special man to her, and the gods knew that they had helped each other when they needed it the most. But he was human. A mortal. Even _if_ he was the vessel of the Fell Dragon, he would still leave her alone after some time... Yet she could imagine herself in his arms, using his chest as a pillow while he slowly caressed her— _No! He... he is Grima... I am Naga's Voice, her_ daughter _, I cannot allow my feelings to... to..._ No matter how much she tried the image would not go away. She had a duty to uphold to, a standard not only set by the peoples of the world, but also her _mother_. _NRAGH! Why!? Why I can I not love him? It is Robin I fell in love with! Not Grima!_ She froze. _I... I... fell in love?_ Tiki should've felt shock, disappointment, horror, anything but happiness. _I fell in love with somebody! No, not_ somebody _I fell in love with Robin!_ Tiki let out a laugh. _It seems so foolish... yet I cannot deny that he holds a place in my heart._

Tiki took a moment to deeply breathe, she could feel her entire face heating up. _Oh gods, I can't tell Robin, it would get him killed. No... no, I will tell him, and if others overhear, then I am willing to defend him, to my last breath if I have to. The past week has been a horrible one for him... Maybe I can brighten it by saying that I will always be by his side..._ The Voice stood up. She had a clear goal in mind now, and started walking back towards Robin's location. She had fallen in love, and come hell or high water, she would tell him.

* * *

"Why did you call me here?" Robin sighed, he already knew the answer, _Gods... she wants to distance herself from me. I can't blame her though, it's only natural, considering that I'm Grima's vessel. It's been nice getting to know you, Tiki._ The pain in his chest grew larger because of that thought, he wanted to get this over with, maybe even erase his memories one way or another. Robin seemed to have a knack for that, "Tiki... I understand. I'll keep my distance away from you from now on."

Tiki shook her head, "No Robin, that's not why I brought you here. I want to tell you that—"

"Milady," Robin's chest got heavier as he turned around to leave, "I strongly advise _against_ being seen with me. Naga's kin should not be around those that—"

"Listen to me!" Tiki grasped his shoulder, "Over the past few months, I've gotten closer to you. Learned who you really are... Robin, you've displayed a kind and selfless nature that even _Marth_ couldn't compete with. E-even now, I know you don't want to be away from me, just the same as I don't want to be away from you..." Tiki took a deep breath, "Do you know why? I-it's because I... I've fallen in love with you, Robin."

He gasped in surprise, "Tiki!?" _No, she didn't just say that! This has to be an... illusion_. "A-are you sure? You know that I'm Grima, everyone knows."

"But you aren't, deep down in your heart resides the man I love, the one who I want to be with."

He never expected this. All that time pining for her, climbing an eternal mountain for her love, the ultimate unachievable goal... And she outright confesses to _him_. He wanted to reciprocate, more than anything, but after Validar's revelations about him... "I... you know we can't do this, right? You're Naga's daughter, I'm... I'm the Fell Dragon's Avatar..." Robin sighed as he closed his eyes. He tried to distance himself from her even more, "I can't be your husband, I can't love you." Those words stung him more than her.

 _W-what? No, he's just trying to protect me. Robin..._ She closed her eyes, "Robin, all I want to know right now is... do you love me? Forget about our lineage, forget that I am dragonkin, and you are human. Do you love me, as a man does a woman?"

He didn't hesitate, _At least she'll have some comfort that I did return her feelings._ "More than anything in the world."

"And it goes without saying that I love you, as a woman does a man." She pressed herself against him once more, "Robin, I don't know how, but I want to be with you for as long as possible."

"I do too, but..." Robin quickly checked his surroundings, "What if we're caught by anyone? Tiki, my relations with the Shepherds couldn't be any more strained; they'll probably kill me, and you... you might never get to leave the Mila Tree again."

"Nobody needs to know; we could escape, run away from everyone."

"Tiki, we can fool humans" He said worriedly, "...but not Naga."

She gasped slightly, _Mother..._ _I... He has a point, I can't just disappear from the Mila Tree. Mother would find me..._ "I'll find a way."

Robin chuckled, " _We'll_ find a way. For now, let's focus on not getting caught."

"I will keep what we have a secret, until death do us—" The Voice cut herself off, suddenly aware of what she said.

"Heh, don't worry. I already know I won't have the same lifespan as you; but I promise you, I'll make the next few decades the ones that you'll never forget."

Tiki embraced him, which he returned entirely, "Robin, I know that to love another, I must watch the world move past him. But such short years make an eternity worth living."

 _I... I did it._ Robin thought, there was no denying that person currently holding him tightly was the woman he loved. Finally, all those sleepless nights, those sudden dark thoughts, the mystery—No, the issue of who Morgan's mother was. Gone. _Morgan will be so happy that I finally—Wait. If... If Tiki is her mother, then... Oh no. If the Shepherds find out, they'll kill her. I can't let them hurt her! But what about Tiki? She should know that we at least have a daughter._

"Tiki... have you met Morgan?"

Peeking up from his chest, she stared back at him with her emerald eyes. "Who is that?"

Robin smirked, "Who? Well, I already told you her name is Morgan, you know, short, hair same color as mine, has my coat. You haven't seen her around?"

Sheepishly lowering her head, Tiki responded. "...I... I heard something about a newcomer, but I was still sleepy from my afternoon nap so..."

Robin laughed softly, "Of course you were." His face slowly started to turn serious, hesitation evident when he started to speak up. "Tiki, I think we have a daughter."

Slightly jumping back at the surprise, her mind raced to grasp the concept of parenthood. "I... W-what? Daughter?"

"Yeah. I think Morgan is your— _our_ —child."

Suppressing a sudden urge to pinch him, Tiki continued, "Does this mean that in the future we were... together?"

"Her being here is proof that we were _happy_. That... that somehow we made this— _us_ —work!" His eyes were full of happiness, Robin embraced his beloved tightly.

Tiki wished she could return the embrace with the same amount of enthusiasm, however a question kept pressing her mind: "Does she know that I'm her mother?"

Robin winced, "...No." Steeling himself he continued, "And... and... I think it's for the best that she doesn't find out for now."

"How could you say that!?" Tiki couldn't believed what she heard, "Morgan is _our_ _daughter_! She should—"

"I know, I know!" Robin sighed, "And it pains me a lot that I have to keep her in the dark like this, but Tiki, I think it best that the less people know what we have, the better."

"Robin, I also want to be in her life." She crossed her arms. "I want to be the mother that Naga couldn't be for me."

"Tiki I know that you were—"

"You don't understand, Naga... she practically abandoned me after my father died. Rarely would I ever see her, and when I did, she was very brusque."

"...Did she have her reasons?"

"It was not until much later when Ban-Ban and Gotoh would tell me why she sealed me away." Tiki winced, he had caught her there.

"See? We have our own reasons too. I didn't say we could _never_ tell Morgan about us; I just said that we can't tell her _now_." Robin slowly went over and held Tiki's hands, "One day, this will all be over. Grima will be defeated, peace will be restored and you, Morgan and I are going to be a happy family."

"Robin, I know you have good intentions, but I cannot simply... Morgan..."

"Believe me, I also long for the day that she'll call you 'Mother' instead of 'Lady Tiki'."

"I know..." Tiki looked up worriedly at Robin, "Do you know if she inherited any... draconic traits?"

He froze, remembering Validar's words, _Do you really think she's safe? Foolish boy, at the end of the day, both Naga and Grima are dragons! If anything, you actually_ increased _her chances of being a worthy vessel!_ "As far as I know, she hasn't." _Then again..._ A dark thought crossed his mind, _she has been rather unstable lately..._ "I'm more worried she might have inherited anything from _me_."

"Either way, she must be careful." Tiki shuddered, "I don't want her to go insane like the rest of the Earth Dragons... Please, make sure Morgan will not get carried away by her emotions." The Voice shook her head and sighed, "Gods... I-I never would've thought I'd cause so much trouble for my child... an heir to Naga _and_ Grima..."

"Don't worry, I'll keep a close eye on her." Robin gave an affirmative nod. "Speaking of which, I should find her."

"Try not to push her too hard... I wouldn't be surprised if she is still shaken up by yesterday's events."

"Yeah..."

"Also, can you get her some food? She seems rather pale lately, maybe some chocolate can cheer her up—"

Before she could continue on rambling, Robin cut her off with a snicker, "Tiki, Morgan's stronger than you think."

"It is a mother's duty to protect her children." She dejectedly looked down, "Even from afar..."

"Once this is over, we'll be a family. I promise." Robin leaned forward, "Until then, we keep this a secret. I love you." He couldn't believe he finally got those last three words off of his chest.

She leaned in the rest of the way, locking her lips with his. Once their kiss was over, she spoke once more, "I love you too."

* * *

Robin found his daughter on an empty field, sitting on a log. "Morgan? You okay there?"

His daughter, caught off guard by his presence, shrieked. "D-Dad!? You scared me!" She quickly pulled down her left sleeve, hoping he wouldn't notice.

"Sorry. Mind if I sit here?"

She shuffled to her left on the log, giving him the space he needed.

"Long day, huh?" Robin pretended to not notice the stains that ran down her cheeks.

"Yeah..." Morgan wanted to cover her face up as much as possible.

 _I wish I could bring you some good news, to try and cheer you up, Morgan._ "How are you—"

Morgan embraced him, burying her face in his chest. "Tell me it's going to be fine! Tell me I won't end up like... l-like..."

"Me?" He wore a sad smile on his face.

"Y-yeah..." she sniffed.

"Morgan, you're the strongest person I've met. Everytime I hear what happened in the future amazes me on how you pulled through." Robin stroked her hair as she clutched him even tighter, "Honestly, I don't think you're ever gonna be like me. You're too... cute, to be something as bad as Grima. Must've inherited that from your mother."

She sniffed, before letting out a small giggle, "So does that mean you found her?"

"No luck yet." It pained him to lie. "It... might be a while before she shows up."

"...Okay." She breathed sadly.

"Hey, how about we go into a town, and I buy you something nice?"

"With Grima in the sky?"

Robin chuckled, "Good point, but I'm always three steps ahead." He opened his jacket and pulled out a sword, the steel was dark blue in color, and an ornate orange 'M' traced along the bottom of the blade, near the handle.

"H-how much did this cost you!?"

"You're assuming I paid for it." He replied with a smug grin.

"You _stole_ something!? What kind of message are you teaching me here!?"

"Relax, I forged the blade by myself. Did you know you can 'paint' metal with heat? Anyway, seven Bolganone tomes were used up in the making of it, but this beauty came out."

"You made this... for me?"

"Yup, for my favorite daughter's birthday."

"I'm your _only_ daughter, and my birthday isn't until a few more months."

"And that's why you're my favorite." Robin added with a smile.

Morgan took a few practice swings, "Oh wow... it's actually pretty balanced!"

"Was that an insult?"

Instead of answering, Morgan snickered and gave her father another hug. "It's beautiful, thanks Daddy."

"You're welcome."

The tacticians stayed there, watching the sun go down. His daughter rested her head on his shoulder, her worries calmed for the moment. Robin sighed with relief, _Morgan... One day you'll know who your mother is. I promise._ He chuckled when she started to lightly snore, placing the sword he gifted her in his coat once more, he began to carry Morgan back to her tent.

Little did he know, off in the distance, Tiki stared at them with longing eyes and an aching heart. _Morgan... I know you must feel awful because you do not who I am to you, but please... know that even if I can't tell you, I love you with all my heart._

In the distance, Naga stirred. She sensed an emotional trouble within her daughter. That was not the only thing that bothered the Divine Dragon, however. Three people with an enormous power grew ever stronger.

* * *

 **A/N**

 **H-Hi... Um... Remember when I said in** _ **Cursed Blood**_ **that I wouldn't upload this chapter, because it would be so out of context you'll hate it?**

 **And that I would update said story before September ended?**

 **And that this story would've been finished by now?**

 **Okay, next time I promise anything, just don't believe me. Trust me on this one. No wait** _ **don't**_ **trust me. You know what I mean.**

 **Now, I bet you're wondering: _Inksy, if you posted this, the CONFESSION, does it mean that this story is over?_ Silly reader, of course not! I mean, it might take a while. But I'll definetely finish it. I swear that I don't work at Valve. Promise.**

 **Welp. Back to my life of work/study 'til I quite literally slam myself into my bed.**


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